National Bonsai Foundation facts for kids
A western yellow pine (Pinus ponderosa) bonsai on display at the entrance to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum
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| Established | 1982 |
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| Location | 3501 New York Avenue, N.E., Washington D.C. 20002 |
The National Bonsai Foundation (NBF) is a special group that helps run the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. This museum is a fantastic place to see tiny trees and landscapes. It teaches everyone about the amazing arts of bonsai and penjing.
The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum is located in Washington, D.C.. It's part of the huge United States National Arboretum. Over 200,000 people visit the museum every year. Many important guests from around the world also come to see these unique collections.
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What the National Bonsai Foundation Does
The National Bonsai Foundation started in 1982. It's a non-profit group, meaning it doesn't make money for itself. Its main goal is to support the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum.
The Foundation works closely with the U.S. National Arboretum. They give money and advice to the museum. This teamwork helps the museum show off beautiful bonsai and penjing. They also offer fun learning programs for visitors. This helps people from different cultures become friends and understand each other better.
A Look Back: The Museum's History
The story of the museum began in 1976. That year, Japan gave America a very special gift. It was 53 beautiful bonsai trees! This gift celebrated America's 200th birthday.
Volunteers and staff at the U.S. National Arboretum took care of these trees. Soon, people wondered if American bonsai could join the collection. A group of bonsai experts, called the National Bonsai Committee, was formed.
In 1982, this committee became the National Bonsai Foundation (NBF). The NBF brought together people from all over the country. They worked hard to raise money for the museum.
In 1986, the NBF announced a big plan. They wanted to build a new area for American bonsai. This new area would be called the American Bonsai Pavilion. It would be next to the Japanese Pavilion.
This dream came true on October 1, 1990. The American Bonsai Pavilion was opened. It honored two famous American bonsai masters. The Yuji Yoshimura Educational Center became a place for learning. The John Y. Naka North American Pavilion showed off the American bonsai collection.
The museum kept growing in the 1990s thanks to many donations. In 1993, the Kaneshiro Tropical Conservatory was added. This special greenhouse was for delicate tropical trees. A hidden greenhouse was also built for trees still being trained. In 1996, the Mary E. Mrose Exhibit Gallery was finished. The NBF even launched its website a few years later.
The NBF also published books and held events. In 2005, they helped host a big international bonsai convention. They also improved the museum's gardens and courtyards. In 2011, a special effort began to fix up the Japanese Pavilion. It had been damaged by weather over the years.
Amazing Collections and Displays
The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum has four main collections. These are the Japanese, Chinese, and North American collections. They also have a collection of special viewing stones. The museum also has different pavilions, courtyards, and gardens to explore. You can also see changing exhibits in the Mary E. Mrose Exhibit Gallery.
The Japanese Collection
This collection started with the 53 trees given by Japan in 1976. These trees spent a year in a special quarantine area. On July 19, 1976, they were officially welcomed in a big ceremony. Important people from Japan and the United States were there.
Today, this collection has 63 trees. You can see them in the Japanese Pavilion from April to October. In the colder months, from November to March, they move to the Yee-sun Wu Chinese Pavilion.
The Chinese Collection
The Chinese Collection is also known as the Penjing Collection. It's located in the Yee-sun Wu Chinese Garden Pavilion. This pavilion is named after Dr. Yee-sun Wu. He was a famous collector and designer of penjing from Hong Kong.
In 1983, Dr. Wu was asked if he would help add penjing to the museum. He loved the idea! He gave money to build the pavilion and donated many penjing trees. Because of his help, the museum was renamed the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in 1988.
The North American Collection
Most of the trees in the North American Collection are in the John Y. Naka North American Pavilion. Some tropical trees from this collection are in the Haruo Kaneshiro Tropical Conservatory. This collection has 63 bonsai trees. All of them were created by artists from North America.
The John Y. Naka North American Pavilion opened in 1990. It honors the American master, John Y. Naka (1914–2004). His world-famous bonsai, Goshin, is displayed at the entrance. You can see these trees in spring, summer, and fall. In winter, they move to the Chinese Pavilion.
The Viewing Stone Collection
Besides the bonsai trees, the museum has an amazing collection of viewing stones. Bonsai and viewing stones are very connected. Both show a deep respect for nature. When these tiny plants and stones are put together, they create magical miniature landscapes. They help you imagine the whole of nature in a small space.
This collection started with six special stones called suiseki. They came with the first 53 bonsai trees from Japan. Today, the collection has 105 stones from all over the world. You can see these stones in and around the Mary Mrose Exhibit Gallery. The Melba Tucker Suiseki and Viewing Stone Display Area often changes its stone displays to different themes.
